Scroll in a netsuke

[PietroParis]

Hi All,

 

Apologies in advance for the non-Nihonto question. In one of the parallel internet universes I inhabit, a question has arisen on the subject of this netsuke from the Louvre collection:

 

 

According to a website of French museums (see this link) it depicts Lu Zishen, hero of the 14th-century Chinese novel "Water Margin". However, the information in the website carries question marks, and indeed the Wikipedia entry for Lu Zishen does not mention any episode involving an axe, a bell or a scroll. It has been suggested that the writing on the scroll might give a clue on the true subject of the netsuke (maybe another of the 108 heros of the tale?). Here is a close-up of the scroll from a cellphone picture that I took:

 

 

Perhaps one of the resident NMB experts might be able to recognize the content? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

Pietro

[Bugyotsuji]

(On the phone here)

Unusually it gives quite a lot of information, including the date and carver’s (?) or dedication (?) name, Chikuyosai Tomochika.

 

Nearly readable, but can you get shots from different angles?

[PietroParis]

Hello Piers, sitting at the intersection of the two universes!

[PietroParis]

Nearly readable, but can you get shots from different angles?

 

Maybe in July, when they reopen the Louvre...

[Bugyotsuji]

LOL, very good! The last two are 彫刻 chōkoku (carved), but the two before that are not the art name of Tomochika I, II or III. (They didn’t use the Kanji 雲 un in their Gō As far as I know.)

[k morita]

Hi,

 

[PietroParis]

Thanks so much Morita-San!!!

[Bugyotsuji]

Morita San, excellent!     So that's a commissioned work, July 1860?

[k morita]

Yes,  7th,1860. by Chikuyo-sai  Tomochika.